Predictors of Posthospital Transitions of Care in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Purpose Patients with advanced cancer experience potentially burdensome transitions of care after hospitalizations. We examined predictors of discharge location and assessed the relationship between discharge location and survival in this population. Methods We conducted a prospective study of 932 patients with advanced cancer who experienced an unplanned hospitalization between September 2014 and March 2016. Upon admission, we assessed patients' physical symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System) and psychological distress (Patient Health Questionnaire-4). The primary outcome was discharge location (home without hospice, postacute care [PAC], or hospice [any setting]). The secondary outcome was survival. Results Of 932 patients, 726 (77.9%) were discharged home without hospice, 118 (12.7%) were discharged to PAC, and 88 (9.4%) to hospice. Those discharged to PAC and hospice reported high rates of severe symptoms, including dyspnea, constipation, low appetite, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Using logistic regression, patients discharged to PAC or hospice versus home without hospice were more likely to be older (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.05; P < .001), live alone (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.25 to 3.02; P < .003), have impaired mobility (OR, 5.08; 95% CI, 3.46 to 7.45; P < .001), longer hospital stays (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.20; P < .001), higher Edmonton Symptom Assessment System physical symptoms (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.003 to 1.032; P < .017), and higher Patient Health Questionnaire-4 depression symptoms (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.25; P < .027). Patients discharged to hospice rather than PAC were more likely to receive palliative care consultation (OR, 4.44; 95% CI, 2.12 to 9.29; P < .001) and have shorter hospital stays (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.91; P < .001). Patients discharged to PAC versus home had lower survival (hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.22 to 1.93; P < .001). Conclusion Patients with advanced cancer who were discharged to PAC facilities and hospice had substantial physical and psychological symptom burden, impaired physical function, and inferior survival compared with those discharged to home. These patients may benefit from interventions to enhance their quality of life and care.

Processes of code status transitions in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although hospitalized patients with advanced cancer have a low chance of surviving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the processes by which they change their code status from full code to do not resuscitate (DNR) are unknown. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study on a prospective cohort of hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. Two physicians used a consensus-driven medical record review to characterize processes that led to code status order transitions from full code to DNR. RESULTS: In total, 1047 hospitalizations were reviewed among 728 patients. Admitting clinicians did not address code status in 53% of hospitalizations, resulting in code status orders of "presumed full." In total, 275 patients (26.3%) transitioned from full code to DNR, and 48.7% (134 of 275 patients) of those had an order of "presumed full" at admission; however, upon further clarification, the patients expressed that they had wished to be DNR before the hospitalization. We identified 3 additional processes leading to order transition from full code to DNR acute clinical deterioration (15.3%), discontinuation of cancer-directed therapy (17.1%), and education about the potential harms/futility of CPR (15.3%). Compared with discontinuing therapy and education, transitions because of acute clinical deterioration were associated with less patient involvement (P = .002), a shorter time to death (P < .001), and a greater likelihood of inpatient death (P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: One-half of code status order changes among hospitalized patients with advanced cancer were because of full code orders in patients who had a preference for DNR before hospitalization. Transitions due of acute clinical deterioration were associated with less patient engagement and a higher likelihood of inpatient death. Cancer 2017;123:4895-902. © 2017 American Cancer Society.